Wake Up Tri-Counties Etta Talks STEP Ladder Tutoring Program Fall Session and Fundraising

For more than a decade, the STEP Ladder Tutoring Program has been helping middle school students in Kewanee and Wethersfield strengthen their academic skills, build confidence, and prepare for success in high school.

During a recent interview on Wake Up Tri-Counties, Etta LaFlora, Executive Director of the Sunshine Community Services Center, discussed the program's history and its continued importance to local students.

The STEP Ladder program began with a simple observation. A friend of LaFlora's who was teaching at Black Hawk College noticed students struggling academically and wondered when those difficulties began. That conversation led to the creation of a tutoring program focused on middle school students.

After a pilot program at the Kewanee Public Library in 2011 showed positive results through pre- and post-testing, the program expanded into the schools in 2012. Since then, STEP Ladder has served 242 middle school students and involved 82 volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and staff.

The program's motto is “Helping One Child at a Time.” LaFlora said the goal is to make every student feel important while providing individualized or small-group assistance.

STEP Ladder helps students with:

Completing homework

Preparing for tests and quizzes

Mastering core academic skills

Developing better study habits

Learning how to take notes and stay organized

Building a more positive attitude toward school and learning